Thursday Ten: And School’s Back In Edition

1. The first week of school for my kiddos is almost over and so far the transition for the kids seems mostly seamless. Not too much complaining about things – but the amount of paper in the house has quadrupled, it feels like. PAPER EVERYWHERE.

2. There are days when I drink far too much water. Those days – and today was one of those days – I spend hours alternately walking to the kitchen for more ice water, and walking to the restroom because you can’t drink all that water without really having to pee. I’m sorta known for “peecrastination” – getting so wrapped up in what I’m doing that I hold off going until I absolutely can’t stand it anymore. Not today. Why am I telling you all this about pee? I really don’t know. I’m so sorry.

3. Lately, I’ve seen Crazy Stupid Love and Friends With Benefits. Emma Stone was in both of those. She was also in The Help (Which I read and have no desire to see the movie). Why is she in everything? I’m not sure why it even matters to me, but it she’s everywhere these days.

4. The weather outside has cooled down (WHOOHOO!) but the air conditioning at work? Still cranked up. Wore a sweater today. Considered double-bagging myself and putting a sweater over my sweater. I wonder how much money places waste with hyperactive air conditioning?

5. This morning, I couldn’t muster the interest to throw together a lunch for myself, so I picked up lunch in the cafe near my office. Today’s special sounded gross, so I just got a burger. Which was also gross. So gross that I spent all afternoon queasy and kicking myself for eating it. Also, kicking myself for not realizing that I’d have been better off just grabbing Pop Tarts out of the vending machine.

6. ArtPrize in JUST UNDER TWO WEEKS!!! I’m not sure how many times I went out to see all the exhibits last year (A lot. I know that – A LOT), but I hope to get to spend as much time seeing as many of the exhibits as I can this year, also.

7. Yesterday, I bought Skittles at work and I threw out all the purple ones. Why? I don’t like the purple ones. When I tweeted that – several people seemed shocked – and a few people asked me to ship them the purple Skittles. Really, people? YOU LIKE THE PURPLE SKITTLES? I bet you even like the pink Starbursts, too.

8. Up until tonight, I hadn’t worked out in two days. I have no doubt that is part of the reason I have been such a gigantic cranky pants.

9. So, I guess football starts tonight?

10. And last but certainly not least. I received Mat Kearney’s YOUNG LOVE album to review, and like I said last week, at that point, I hadn’t had time to sit and really listen to it. Well, I listened on my drive to work the other day. And I listened last night while I was working. And I listened today during cardio. And in between all of those times, I have had various songs from this album stuck in my head and I have to say I mostly like this album I say mostly because there are a few songs that are total misses for me (and most albums have at least one, so it’s not like I’m hating on Mat). I like Mat Kearney’s music best when he’s mellower and the guitars are prominent and it’s almost like you’re hanging in a coffee shop listening to a guy who is too good to be playing in a coffee shop. I like Mat like that. Which is why I love the song “Rochester” (though, I’d love it more if it were about a minute shorter). Though, surprisingly, I love the hand-clappy poppiness of “Hey Mama”. But the song that keeps getting stuck in my head most of all is “Learning to Love Again.”

“Cause that was the real you running through the fields of gold wide openStanding in places no picture containsThat was the real you, windows down, we could smell the mint fields cryingSing with the radio to song we can’t name…”

If I rated albums with stars – and I didn’t get all scientific-y with his one – I’d give Young Love about a 7. It’s not a huge departure from the Mat Kearney you already know from “Breathe In Breathe Out” – and that’s either a good thing to you, or you wanted to see him evolve more (or you’ve thought nothing of it). It’s catchy, for sure, and the melodies will likely get stuck in your noggin… *

(I received this album for review, but the opinions are my own and solely my own…)